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SIGECOM
2011
ACM

The role of social networks in online shopping: information passing, price of trust, and consumer choice

13 years 1 months ago
The role of social networks in online shopping: information passing, price of trust, and consumer choice
While social interactions are critical to understanding consumer behavior, the relationship between social and commerce networks has not been explored on a large scale. We analyze Taobao, a Chinese consumer marketplace that is the world’s largest e-commerce website. What sets Taobao apart from its competitors is its integrated instant messaging tool, which buyers can use to ask sellers about products or ask other buyers for advice. In our study, we focus on how an individual’s commercial transactions are embedded in their social graphs. By studying triads and the directed closure process, we quantify the presence of information passing and gain insights into when different types of links form in the network. Using seller ratings and review information, we then quantify a price of trust. How much will a consumer pay for transaction with a trusted seller? We conclude by modeling this consumer choice problem: if a buyer wishes to purchase a particular product, how does (s)he decide w...
Stephen Guo, Mengqiu Wang, Jure Leskovec
Added 17 Sep 2011
Updated 17 Sep 2011
Type Journal
Year 2011
Where SIGECOM
Authors Stephen Guo, Mengqiu Wang, Jure Leskovec
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